Survey says: Real trees are greener

Here’s how to choose and care for yours

After harvesting a tree, Santa plants a seedling to replace it.

Photograph by: MICHAEL URBAN / AFP / Getty Images
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Would you prefer a giant green upended toilet-bowl brush as a Christmas tree, or a real one? (Indeed, the first manufacturer of the fake tree — in 1930 — was Addis, a brush company. Aluminum trees were first produced in 1958.)

There are two current arguments to the "fake v. real" tree issue, leaving the question of aesthetics aside.

Those in the "real" camp argue that the fake tree is made of lead-laced, petroleum-based PVC, the manufacture of which pollutes land around the factories, and decry their need to be shipped from Asia (85% of these trees are made there), thus emitting plenty of carbon over the miles.

Those in the "fake" camp say chopping down a real tree ruins its chances of helping absorb carbon over its natural lifespan (plus, they say, it likely needs to be shipped from Nova Scotia or Vermont or British Columbia anyway).

But an online search of various organizations shows that a real tree seems to be the soundest environmental choice.

Information from the Ontario Forestry Association (OFA), treehugger.com, yahoo.green.com and dailygreen.com tells us Christmas trees in Canada are grown on farms specifically for the Christmas season, and often on land that is unusable for other crops. Several thousand farmers produce millions of Christmas trees each year.

When a tree is harvested, farmers plant two to three new seedlings that will grow for future holiday seasons. As not all trees are harvested at the same time, these farms provide continuous habitat for wildlife and retain soil and water, preventing seasonal runoff. And it's easier now to find a locally grown tree — be sure to ask the seller where they've come from.

Opponents say pesticide use is a concern, as is the fact that trees end up as trash because not all municipalities collect trees for mulch.

However, the OFA points out that trees are 100% biodegradable, that one acre of planted Christmas trees produces oxygen for 18 people every day, and that they are mulched by many municipalities for use in parks in the spring. And here's another factor to consider: The OFA says pharmaceutical companies in Ontario extract ingredients from tree needles for flu vaccines.

And there's the advantage of the smell of the natural evergreen . . . but the negative of the fallen needles that will still need vacuuming in April.

A third option is a live tree, a small evergreen that you bring indoors in a pot and then plant in your yard once the ground thaws. However, you can only keep a live tree in the house for four to 10 days before the warmth starts waking it up and fooling it into thinking it's spring. And, as one critic of the concept put it: "I've seen more dead live trees than live live trees," which will mean you'd have to buy a new live tree next year — and most people's yards aren't big enough to accept a potentially 60-foot-tall tree year after year.

So it boils down to a real, freshly cut tree. Fresh is important: If you cut it yourself at a tree farm as close to Christmas as your childrens' patience allows, it won't require as much water and won't dry out as fast.

- Measure your room, vertically and horizontally, and research the type and size of tree you want. Don't go overboard: "Trees in the field look small when the sky is the ceiling."

- Make sure your tree is fresh; it will last longer and its needles will stay on the branches, instead of your floor. To do so, make sure the trunk has some sap coming out of it. Ask the retailer which species is best for your locale, and also when they get the trees: Are they delivered once at the beginning of the season, or do they get several shipments during the season?

- Look for a tree that does not have brown needles. The needles of pine and spruce should bend and not break. Others should snap crisply, like a fresh carrot. They should also be hard to pull off the branches.

- Raise the tree just a few inches and drop it on the base of the trunk. Shake it a little if you can. If a lot of needles fall, your tree may have been cut too long ago and has already dried out. If in doubt, select another tree, or go to another lot.

Caring for your cut tree:

- Saw off a two-cm-thick disk of wood from the bottom of the trunk, providing a clean cut that allows the tree to absorb water.

- Ensure that your tree has adequate water. Position the tree away from direct heat to maintain moisture and its fresh look.

- Some people add floral preservatives, aspirin and even honey to tree-stand water, but there is no evidence that these provide any benefit.

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